The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-11-24

eff you kim Twa'n't no kinder ust
atelIin' me that. kase wanted that
Ian bad enough; hits fur sale yit
dunno es I'll ever hev the luck to own
hit. Jes' afO' he died, bout a couple
, NV weeks, the Cun'el sent fur me en-
SCI: Joe Craddeck, you've been my
friend wen [ hadn't none. l hain'i
gwine TO git well, en- dunno es / keer.
but heah's so.nmut es will buy that
taousand-acre track; do you go on that
Ian en- no other, fur Dildv-mind you.
this ere'S fur Dildy'-he stretch out
his han en- guv me suthin'."
WAS it the pin?" inquired.
"Twa'n't nuthin' else. stranger, ;"
the mountaineer retorted, with grim.
eontemptuous smile. "W'en l KEN to
look he'd put the buzzom pin in my
han. Every day he'd watch me KEN
in from shootin' pa't'idges. en- AK ME
fuSt, HEY you bought hit?' Seemed
like he'd sot heart on me sellin' his
buzzom pin en- buyin' that ar land. l
hedn't the heart to dissap'int him. 50 l
said. I've done bought hit. Cun'el,
Fur Dildy. don't You furgit that-fur
Dildy,' he KEEP tcllin' me-"
why did You not buy the land?" 1
inquired. Il have no doubt it would
have been a good purchase"
''Jes' so. stranger. t'were a fust rate
cattle ranch. but the Cun'el mus a
been out of his head to think scrap
Of shiny glass would buy pip's wuth
Of anything" was the dry response.
as if the mountaineer pitied and
laughed at the hallucination. Il guv
it over to Dildy, en- she wouldn't sell
hit for nuthin' savin' a book-she's
pow'ful fond of readin' sense the
preacher at the cross roads larnt her
how to read"
The man laughed a low, dry laugh
and nodded toward the girl. Dildy
was surreptitiOusly reading an illus
trated paper resurrected from a weeks
burial in the bottom of my game bag.
She laid it down and blushed hotly.
81 have been careful not to spoil it,
sir" she said. timidly. Thought you
wouldn't mind it if looked at it.
"YOu shall have it and welcome"
The color deepened in the pretty
cheeks; the beautiful eyes glowed.
Would you like togo to town?"
Il would rather stay here with plenty
of books
But you have books and every thing
else in town." l urged.
81 have every thing here except
books" was the simple response, with
a satisfied, Inirthtul smile.
IsmOked final pipe out under the
stars and thought of fDildy. Here is a
GIRL" reflected, with what would be
a small fortune for her, longing for
books as an unattainable treasure"
Chaotic plans and suggestions shot
through my mind. with Dildy as
central figure-pretty, blushing, unso-
phisticated Dildy-contentedD Dildy. A
strange reluctance held me silent. I
waited until morning to shatter the
novel happiness of content. Dawn was
reddening the misty crests of the noun
tain ridges when l stepped out into the
fresh morning air.
"Mawnin'. stranger" politely greeted
Craddeck. DiIdy glanced round from
the Over-hanging launches of an old
brindle COW. and smiled without stop
ping her milking. Stranger. jest you
look over to t'other ridge. That's the
Piney ridge, an thurs the track NV
lam the Cum ell wanted me to buy wild a
bit er shiny glass"
l followed Craddeck's index finger
with my eye.
Hits that blackish-lookin' yeth this
side that passel NV pines"
Viewed from my standpoint. the
place looked brushy, ragged and bar
rem.
"Whs did the Colonel especially
want that land for Dildy?" inquired.
Dunno es l kin tell you. savin' hits
cheaper than lower down; but hits five
hundred dOllars-en no good a-wishin'
fur hit--dunno but 'twould be pow
full bother havin' so much lam savin'
fur stock"
eff you had the money you could no
doubt purchase better land nearer to
you?" 1 suggested.
Thurs a sight Nv Ian, but hit costs
double. en- l guv the Cuu'e ell my say so.
to git that fur Dildy-on'Y the Cun'el
wur sick en- thought bit Nv glass mout
tex somebody's eye," and Joe Grad
deck tore off quid of tobacco fror,
huge twist in his pocket and slowly put
it in his mouth-that same grim amuse-
ment in his keen, clear eyes.
Evidently the mountaineer regarded
this legacy to Dildy half in kindly pity,
half in jest.
The Colonel knew better than any
one else about that gen." 1 began wa
rily. THAT shiny bit of glass is worth
more than enough to buy ten such
tracts"
Naturally, the Cum els belief in the
value of the pin having been so long a
matter of scorn, found it difficult to
convince Craddeck of the truth. His
was pervaded by a very
plain doubt of my sanity.
Hits turribul Gurus, stranger, en-
you hain't sick nuther," he averred,
with profound conviction.
Dildy's dark. soft eyes seemed to
catch the first convincing sparkle of the
diamond as l explained and pointed out
the difference between a gem of first